Chum delivery device

ABSTRACT

A chum delivery device having a body with a plurality of openings, at least one open end, at least one removable cap, and one or more hook attachments. The plurality of openings of the body are configured to allow chum housed within the body to be released. The removable cap(s) is/are configured to seal the open end(s) of the body.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority and the benefit of 62/538,056, filedJul. 28, 2017, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated intotal by reference.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to a device for delivering chum, andmore specifically, a device for delivering chum in proximity to one ormore fishing hooks.

BACKGROUND

The process of chumming has long been used by fisherman to attract fish.There are several types of chumming known in the art. Chum may be anymaterial that would attract fish, such as ground up remains of baitfish. Chum is commonly presented in various ways. For example, chum maybe tossed directly in the water or by using a container to lower thechum below water level in the general proximity as to where fishing isoccurring. However, known means of presentation could be improved. Forexample, when tossed directly into the water or lowered below waterlevel, the chum and/or the chum's scent may be carried downstream, awayfrom the fishing location, reducing the effectiveness of the chum toattract fish to the desired location.

Applicants have found that by positioning the chum in close proximity towhere the hook or hooks are located, the effectiveness of the chum isincreased. For example, the chum may be placed within a housing to whichone or more hooks may be attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a chum delivery device according to one or moreembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2a , FIG. 2b and FIG. 2c illustrate various embodiments of a bodyfor a chum delivery device according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a removable cap according to one or more embodimentsof the disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a chum delivery device according to one or moreembodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates chum delivery device 100 including body 102, topremovable cap 104 and one or more hook attachment(s) 112. In oneembodiment, body 102 comprises plurality of openings 114. In oneembodiment body 102 comprises top open end 106. Plurality of openings114 may be configured to allow chum housed within body 102 to bereleased through the openings. Top removable cap 104 may be configuredto seal top open end 106. In alternative embodiments the chum deliverydevice of the present invention includes second removable cap 110 andbottom open end 108. Second removable cap 110 may be configured to sealbottom open end 108. In alternative embodiments the chum delivery deviceof the present invention includes a bottom closed end. In alternativeembodiments, hook attachment(s) 112 are attached or attachable to body102, top removable cap 104, bottom closed end, and/or second removablecap 110. In one or more embodiments, chum delivery device 100 isconfigured to release the chum in close proximity to the hookattachment(s). As shown, plurality of openings 114 are oval. Inalternative embodiments plurality of openings 114 may be a variety ofshapes. In various embodiments, top removable cap 104, body 102, bottomclosed end, and/or second removable cap 110 may be configured to becoupled to a fishing line.

In one embodiment, chum delivery device 100 is about six inches inlength. However, in other embodiments, chum delivery device 100 may begreater than or less than six inches in length. In one embodiment, thediameter of chum delivery device 100 may be about one and a half inches.In other embodiments, the diameter of chum delivery device 100 may begreater than or less than one and a half inches.

In one embodiment, body 102 is cylindrically shaped. For example, body102 may form a tube. In other embodiments, at least a portion of body102 may be at least partially spherical. In yet other embodiments, body102 may be any shape that allows the body to house chum.

In one or more embodiments, body 102 includes a plastic material. Forexample, the body may include as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In otherembodiments, the body 102 may include one or more of a metal material,glass material, wood and/or a rubber/rubberized material.

Body 102 includes plurality of openings 114. In one embodiment, at leastone of the openings may be less than or equal to five millimeters indiameter. In other embodiments, at least one of the openings may begreater than or equal to five millimeters in diameter. In variousembodiments, the size and shape of the openings may be uniform such thateach opening is the same. However, in other embodiments, at least oneopening may differ in size and/or shape than another opening. Further,the distance between each opening may be the same or the distancebetween openings may vary. In one embodiment, the openings are disposedwithin a uniform pattern on body 102. In various embodiments, one ormore of the size, shape and number of openings may vary based on thetype of chum employed and the desired rate at which chum is to bereleased. For example, when chum containing bigger portions of fishremains are used, larger openings may be used.

In one embodiment, body 102 is configured to house chum which may bereleased through openings 114 to attract fish. For example, chum may beplaced within body 102 and when chum delivery device 100 is placedwithin water, the chum may be released into the water through openings114.

In one embodiment, top removable cap 104 may be removed and chum may befilled within chum delivery device 100. The chum may be any materialthat would attract other fish. For example, the chum may consist ofground and/or cutup up remains of bait fish. Top removable cap 104 maybe replaced and a fishing line may be attached to top removable cap 104.One or more hooks attached to the device may be baited and chum deliverydevice 100 may be placed within the water. In one embodiment, chumdelivery device 100 may be cast within the water. The chum floatsthrough the holes of chum delivery device 100 attracting fish to thebaited hooks.

In one embodiment, chum delivery device 100 forms part of a fishing rig.For example, in a double rig configuration a top end of chum deliverydevice 100 may be coupled to a fishing line and a bottom end of chumdelivery device 100 may be coupled to a weight.

In one or more embodiments, body 102 may be substantially hollow. Invarious embodiments, body 102 includes one or more baffles and/or otherelements to aid in releasing of chum or control the way chum isreleased. For example, body 102 may include multiple compartments thatallow chum to be released at different times. In one embodiment, body102 includes an inner compartment and an outer compartment. In such anembodiment, as chum is released from the outer compartment into thewater, chum from the inner compartment refills the outer compartment oris released after the outer compartment is at least partially emptied.In one embodiment, one or more compartments are configured to releasechum at a different time than the other compartments. For example, oneor more compartments may include a time release element that introducesa delay in when the chum in released. Delaying when the chum is releasedmay provide additional control over the amount of and the timing atwhich chum that released into the water. Further, such embodiments mayprovide a more consistent amount of chum that is released while the chumdelivery device is in the water.

The time release element may include a material that degrades in thepresence of water, releases the chum after the material has degraded.Further, the time release element may include a pressure switch, manualswitch or a time controlled switch. For example, chum may be housed in acompartment that is configured to open at a predetermined depth. Thecompartment may open once chum delivery system 100 reaches apredetermined depth. The depth may be determined based on waterpressure. In another embodiment, a compartment may be configured with atime delay element that releases chum held within the compartment aftera period of time. In other embodiments, a mechanical and/or electricalswitch (or switches) may be used.

The device of the present invention may be cleaned by removing topremovable cap 104 and flushing body 102 with water. In alternativeembodiments, both top removable cap 104 and bottom removable cap 110 areremoved and water is flushed through body 102.

FIG. 2a illustrates body 102 having circular openings 212. As shown,circular openings 212 have a common size and shape. FIG. 2b illustratesbody 102 having small circular opening(s) 218, medium circularopening(s) 220 and large circular opening(s) 222. As shown, smallcircular opening(s) 218, medium circular opening(s) 220 and largecircular opening(s) 222 vary in size. For example, large circularopening(s) 222 are larger than medium circular opening(s) 220 which arelarger than small circular opening(s) 218. In other embodiments, morethan or less than three different size openings may be implemented.Further, while the embodiment of FIG. 2b shows that the openings ofdifferent sizes are located proximate each other, in other embodiments,the differently sized openings may be disposed within at any positionwithin body 102. Further, the differently sized openings may be groupedsuch that openings of the same sized are grouped together or thedifferently sized openings may be disposed in positions where they aremixed with openings of various different sizes. FIG. 2c , illustratesbody 102 having circular openings 212 that have a common size and aredisposed such that there is a common distance between each opening. Invarious embodiments, one or more of circular openings 212 may have adifferent size and or shape than another opening. Further, while thecircular openings 212 of FIG. 2c are shown as being circular, in otherembodiments, the openings may be any shape, including but not limited torectangle, ellipse, or the like.

As described herein, chum delivery device 100 comprises top removablecap 104 configured to seal an open end of body 102. Top removable cap104 may be inserted within or around the outside of top open end 106. Invarious embodiments, top removable cap 104 comprises threads and may bethreaded within or onto top open end 106. FIG. 3 illustrates a threadedremovable cap 300 configured to be inserted within end of body 102.

In alternative embodiments, chum delivery device 100 comprises removablecap 110 configured to seal bottom open end 108 of body 102. Removablecap 110 may be inserted within or around the outside of bottom open end108. In various embodiments, removable cap 110 comprises threads and maybe threaded within or onto bottom open end 108.

In alternative embodiments, top removable cap 104, body 102, bottomclosed end, and/or second removable cap 110 may include one or more hookattachments. In alternative embodiments, top removable cap 104, body102, bottom closed end, and/or second removable cap 110 may beconfigured to be coupled to a weight. In alternative embodiments, topremovable cap 104, body 102, bottom closed end, and/or second removablecap 110 may be weighted so as to avoid the need for attaching weights.In alternative embodiments chum delivery device 100 does not have topremovable cap 104. In alternative embodiments chum delivery device 100is deployed without covering top open end 106.

In one or more embodiments, top removable cap 104 and/or secondremovable cap 110 comprise a plastic material. For example, topremovable cap 104 and/or second removable cap 110 may comprise polyvinylchloride (PVC). In other embodiments, top removable cap 104 and/orbottom removable cap 110 may include one or more of a metal material,glass material, wood, and/or a rubber/rubberized material. Top removablecap 104 and/or bottom removable cap 110 may be the same material as body102 or a different material from body 102.

FIG. 4 illustrates chum delivery device 410 coupled to fishing line 420.FIG. 4 is not drawn to scale. Chum delivery device 410 includes weight422 coupled to one end of the chum delivery device 410. In varyingembodiments, the weight may be coupled to the previously introducedsecond removable cap 110. Alternatively the weight may be coupled tobottom closed end. Further, in varying embodiments hooks 424 are coupledto the chum delivery device via corresponding hook attachments. Further,the hook attachments may include one or more elements configured toattract fish. For example, the hook attachments may include one or morereflective elements, colored elements, spinning elements and/orextensions. In various embodiments, the hook attachments may be shapedand/or colored such that they resemble a bait fish or other animal orinsect. Further, as is illustrated, a top end of chum delivery device410 is coupled to the fishing line 420. Chum delivery device 410 may beremovably coupled or permanently coupled to the fishing line 420.

In various embodiments, the total weight of weight of chum deliverydevice 410 may be varied to vary the depth that the chum delivery device410 is positioned with the water and/or other water conditions. Furtherthe weight may be varied depending on the type of chum used and/or theamount of chum used.

These and other advantages may be realized in accordance with thespecific embodiments described as well as other variations. It is to beunderstood that the above description is intended to be illustrative,and not restrictive. Many other embodiments and modifications within thespirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in theart upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the inventionshould, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims,along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims areentitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” are used as theplain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein.”

What claimed is:
 1. A chum delivery device comprising: a body having aplurality of openings; a top open end; and a flat bottom end; a patternformed by the plurality of openings and configured based on a chum typeand a chum release rate; a top removable flat cap configured to sealsaid top open end; and a plurality of hook attachments, wherein at leastone of the plurality of hook attachments is coupled to the body, and atleast one of the plurality of hook attachments is coupled to the flatbottom end; wherein said bottom end is closed or open; wherein said bodyis configured for the receipt of chum; said body further comprising saidat least one of the plurality of hook attachments; an inner compartmentdisposed within the body and configured to store and release a portionof said chum to an outer compartment of said body as another portion ofsaid chum is released from said body; and wherein said plurality ofopenings are configured to allow for the release of said chum from saidbody.
 2. The chum delivery device of claim 1, wherein said bottom end isopen, said delivery device further comprising: a bottom removable capconfigured to seal said flat bottom end.
 3. The chum delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein each of said plurality of openings are similar in shapeand size.
 4. The chum delivery device of claim 1, wherein said topremovable flat cap comprises one or more threads, and wherein said topopen end comprises one or more threads.
 5. The chum delivery device ofclaim 2, wherein the plurality hook attachments are connected to orconnectable to at least one of: said top removable flat cap, said bottomremovable cap, or said body.
 6. The chum delivery device of claim 1,further comprising: one or more hooks, wherein each of said one or morehooks are connected to or connectable to at least one of said hookattachments.
 7. The chum delivery device of claim 1 further comprising aweight.
 8. The chum delivery device of claim 1, wherein said body formsa tube.
 9. The chum delivery device of claim 1, wherein said topremovable flat cap is configured to be coupled to a fishing line. 10.The chum delivery device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of openingsare variable in size and shape.